Glasshouse Primary School:

It was Recess and all the kids were playing outside of school grounds. All except for Mackenzie who was sitting against the tree by himself with his feeding tube up his nose feeling very miserable to play with the other kids. The vision of the mop pup was flashing in his head and starts having flashbacks of his sleep paralysis experience.

"Mackenzie?" Bluey said as Mackenzie snaps back to reality. "Oh, Hey Bluey." Mackenzie said in a depressive tone. There was an awkward silence from there. "So...how are you doing?" Bluey said scratching the back of her head. Mackenzie then takes a deep breath. "Not good, Look at me. I can't eat food anymore. I have to have this stupid thing up my nose to eat with. Why me? Why should I have to be the one to suffer?" Mackenzie said covering his face with his hands. Then Bluey decides to sit next to Mackenzie as she felt sympathy for him. "I'm so sorry Mackenzie. I can't imagine not eating anymore. Bluey said put her arm around Mackenzie as he wiped his tears from his eyes. "But at least you're still alive. I heard you nearly died at the hospital."

"Ya know, I never told anyone this but I saw something when I died." Mackenzie said getting ready to share his after life experience. "Really? What did you see?" Bluey said in curiosity. "I saw-

"Alright kids it's pick up time!" Calypso yelled interrupting Bluey and Mackenzie's conversation. "Oh, Looks like it's pick up time. Come on, I'll walk you to your Mum and Dad. Bluey said offering to walk Mackenzie to his parents. "You know I'm always here for you, If you need anything just come and talk to me. I'm always here." Bluey said supporting her friend who was been through so much in his life.

Mackenzie then turns to Bluey and gives her a big hug which caught Bluey off guard. "Thanks Bluey, Your a good friend." Mackenzie said hugging Bluey tightly. Bluey then gives Mackenzie a hug back.

Both Bluey and Mackenzie walks towards the car where Mackenzie's parents were waiting. "Hi Mackenzie's Mum and Dad!" Bluey said greeting the border collie's parents. "Hi Bluey!" Both Mackenzie's parents responded.

"I was just giving Mackenzie some company and just decided to walk with him."

"Aww, That's very sweet of you. It's nice to have some support from a school mate." Mackenzie's mother said in a heartfelt tone.

"Yeah, the poor mate's been through a lot lately. It's gonna take some time for him to get used to that feeding tube." Mackenzie's father added petting his son's head.

"Bluey!" Chilli said calling for her daughter.

"Oh that's my Mum. I'll see you later Mackenzie." Bluey then gives Mackenzie a big hug and runs to her mother who was wearing an arm cast from the garbage disposal accident.

"Bye, Bluey." Mackenzie said in sadness. "Okay mate, Let's go home. Mackenzie's father said as he helps his son step inside the car and helps put his seatbelt on. He shuts the door as Mackenzie look down at the staples attached to his stomach. Then he starts to shed a tear from his eye.

Mackenzie's House:

Mackenzie was laying on the couch watching some TV with the IV pole next to him. While his father was in the kitchen cooking some steak and mashed potatoes for dinner. Mackenzie could smell the delicious food as his stomach rumbled. Then his mother walks up to the IV with a bag of liquid food. "Okay, Here you go Honey." Mackenzie mother said as she attaches the bag to the IV pole connected the feeding tube and presses the feeding pump. Mackenzie quietly looks at the IV pole as the liquid food seeps through his tube and up his nose.

"Okay Babe, Dinner's Ready!" Mackenzie father said as he sets the two plates of Steak, Mashed Potatoes and Asparagus on the kitchen table. Mackenzie's mother then walks to the kitchen and takes a seat in the table next to her husband. Mackenzie watched his parents eat while he was being fed through a tube.

It was 9:00 pm and it was time for bed. Mackenzie sits on his bed as his mother was getting ready to pull the tube out her son's nose before going to sleep. "Okay Honey, I know how much you hate this. So, I'm going to count to three, Okay?" Mackenzie's mother said knowing that pulling out the feeding tube was something that Mackenzie really hated. He then takes a deep breath as he gets himself prepared. "Okay, 1...2...3!" Mackenzie's mother then pulls out the tube from her son's nose. Mackenzie moans in pain as he could feel the tube coming out of his esophagus. It was the most painful feeling he has ever dealt with and will take a long time to get used to. Once the tube was completely out Mackenzie starts to cry. "I Know, I Know Honey, It's Okay, It's over." Mackenzie's mother said comforting her son as she grabs a towel to wipe his mouth with as he coughs. "Get some rest okay honey, I love you." Mackenzie's mother then tucks in her son with the blanket and gives him a kiss. Then she shut off the lights and leaves the room. Mackenzie covers himself with the blanket as he turns to his side and begins to cry even more. He knew that things will never be the same then he remembers Bluey's advice and cries himself to sleep.

Adoption Center:

It was the weekend Calypso was at the adoption center to visit Luna as she was being looked after by Willow. They were at the playroom the other orphans were playing.

"Luna's been doing good here. She has been very quiet, though." Willow said while she was on the foaming play mat with Luna on her lap holding a stuffed wombat.

"Yeah, I don't know if she really knows how to talk yet. Calypso pointed out.

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense."

"So how is she with the other kids?"

"Well, the kids don't seem to be very comfortable around her." Willow replied.

"What do you mean?" Calypso said as she was confused by what Willow meant by that.

"So, Yesterday when I introduced Luna to the other children at first they were a little confused about her how her eyes looked. I explained to them that she's blind and so I had her sit on the play mat with the children and they...they were all just scared of her. They were telling me that she was cursed. Even the staff members here were telling me that they had a "bad vibe" around her. A nurse who works here came to check on Luna and she said she was terrified of her and she told me she's been having nightmares and said she goes to therapy now." Willow explained to Calypso everything that had happened in the adoption center which caught Calypso off guard. She never had a "bad vibe" when she met Luna. All she saw was an innocent child who was abandoned and needed help.

"Huh? That's very...strange and...creepy." Calypso responded.

"Yeah, I-I don't know if it's just a coincidence or maybe something a bit more...sinister." Willow said as she looked down at Luna who was still holding the wombat plushie and had a blank expression. A very "unsettling" blank expression.

End Of Chapter 9